Employers Monitoring Employees Email

1
Employers Monitoring Employees E-mail

• Is it legal

and ethical?

Dana DeOliveira and Amanda Mazuca INCD 240-05
Assignment 4 September 29, 2003
2
Employers Perspective

• Computers for business
• Minor, subsidiary
• Employer is paying employee to work not
• - gamble, surf web, harass, hack, participate in
  illegal activity and insider trading

3
Employers Perspective continued

• Company is protecting their interests
• - protecting against lawsuits
• Employer must ensure safety for employees

4
Legalities

• Restuccia v. Burk Technology, Inc.
• - allows storage of e-mail

• Burlington Industries, Inc. v. Ellerth
• - employer is accountable

5
Legalities continued

• The federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act
• -monitoring Internet activities allowed
• Fraser v. Nationwide Insurance and Bourke v.
  Nissan
• - company favored in court case in both cases

Thiel, Michael. E-Mail Monitoring Is there
privacy in the electronic age?. 2002 Spring.
Realtor Association Executive. 30 September
2003. lthttp//www.realtor.org/eomag.nsf/pages/leg
alSp02gt
6
Some Statistics

• Out of 722 companies

7
Some More Statistics

• Out of 722 companies
•   

Keller, Larry. Monitoring employees Eyes in the
workplace. 2 January 2001. 30 September
2003.http//www.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/trends/01/02/
surveillence/2gt
8
Employees Perspective

• The International Labor Organization
• - created in 1996
• Helps workers feel secure
• - harassment

9
Solutions

• Include in contract
• Legitimate Reasons
• Be reasonable
• Separate Line (OFTEL)

Office of Telecommunications (OFTEL). Re
Monitoring E-mail. E-mail to Dr. P. Tsappi. 20
May 2003.
10
Conclusion

• Is it legal?

• Is it ethical?